hannahclairereads's review against another edition
DNFed with 100 pages to go. Just wasn’t worth it. I haven’t been invested at any point and don’t expect I will be by the end. Time to read something worth my time.
huckleberryrk's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
abarnhart's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
maaaaccccc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
“From chainsaws to summer camp slayers, Grady Hendrix’s fast-paced and wickedly humorous thriller pays tribute to and slyly subverts our most popular horror films…”
I wanted to like it. The concept was there. This definitely did not deliver on wicked humor or much suspense and from my perspective there was nothing sly about the references to popular horror classics.
While it was still a fun read, I feel like the concept could have delivered a stronger story with more developed characters.
I wanted to like it. The concept was there. This definitely did not deliver on wicked humor or much suspense and from my perspective there was nothing sly about the references to popular horror classics.
While it was still a fun read, I feel like the concept could have delivered a stronger story with more developed characters.
und3adcupcak3's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
gilroi's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely stunning. Every book Hendrix writes takes out a chunk of my heart. He improves tremendously every book, and I deeply enjoy watching his career. This book is probably his most complex, but it's also his most complete. He's trying to address multiple different issues, from horror movies to how we treat women in society to true crime fanaticism to incels, and he weaves it all together in a strange universe of his own making. The world the girls live in is effortless and easy to imagine, real and wild, our own world writ large. If any book of Henrix's deserves a sequel (in 3D), it's this one.
becka6131's review
2.0
Pretty disappointing. A sharp, interesting premise which is badly executed - I loved the idea of the final girl support group and I wish that any of the characters besides Lynette had gotten any kind of in-depth development. I get that, like writing in first person present tense, keeping the reader at a distance from characters was intended to replicate the tone of a slasher film - in which the whole cast has to be flexible enough that they could potentially be the killer - but surprise! This just doesn't work as well when you're marketing your novel as a deep dive into the traumatic aftermath of several different mass murders, while another one is unfolding around your characters! Hendrix got the pacing right - just like a good slasher, this book really moves along - but everything else felt shallow. And not to spoil, but the ending was also incredibly uninspired.
It is also distracting from the beginning that Hendrix steals all the backstories for the final girls from well-known franchises like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream, but changes names and small details. Come up with your own slashers! I assume he meant this to be slyly referential rather than a hack move, but it really is just distracting - like watching one of the live action Disney films where they've randomly inserted a new line into an old song.
I was disappointed in this book's lack of originality particularly because I know Hendrix can do better - Southern Book Club was one of the best books I read last year, and became an instant favourite for his nuanced treatment of female characters in horror. So what the hell was this follow-up?
It is also distracting from the beginning that Hendrix steals all the backstories for the final girls from well-known franchises like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream, but changes names and small details. Come up with your own slashers! I assume he meant this to be slyly referential rather than a hack move, but it really is just distracting - like watching one of the live action Disney films where they've randomly inserted a new line into an old song.
I was disappointed in this book's lack of originality particularly because I know Hendrix can do better - Southern Book Club was one of the best books I read last year, and became an instant favourite for his nuanced treatment of female characters in horror. So what the hell was this follow-up?